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Putting a Face on Real Estate since 1995™
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SEPTEMBER 2017 • VOLUME 22 • ISSUE 5
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THE
PENINSULA AT
ROUGH HOLLOW
A PRIVATE LAKESTYLE NEIGHBORHOOD
ON ROUGH HOLLOW
Motivation Station: local leaders work hard to keep their teams inspired and productive By Riki Markowitz
W
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e’ve heard it a million times. From the outside, a job in real estate seems so glamorous. You’re not tied down to a desk and there’s no boss breathing down your neck. But anyone who has carved out a career in this industry will tell you that while the glamour is achievable, it can take 10 or 15 years of seven-day work weeks, which means missed school recitals and friends’ birthday parties; working “vacations,” and more. Here are just a few of the glamour-challenged
struggles agents and lenders deal with on a daily basis. Sound familiar? • Acting like everything is great! All the time. Because who wants to work with a sad, mopey real estate agent? • Fatigue can’t even describe how you feel after working 20, 10-hour days in a row. • Missing out on family time, including baby’s first step or congratulating a spouse’s job promotion by email. • Constant competition. • Fear your latest paycheck could be your last.
Most Stressful Professions In 2017, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report identifying 20 occupations with the highest rates of job-related isolation, stressful work environments, workhome imbalance, and income instability. Real estate agent came in 17th. In an industry with some of the highest burnout rates, how does one stay motivated? In many industries, keeping employees’ spirits up is not always a priority for those sitting in the C-suite. But in real estate, job-hopping and turnover is a real concern. No one wants to lose his or her top performers. Any good manager knows this and sees to it that agents are getting the emotional support and motivation they need to keep working hard and find enjoyment in their work. The industry professionals we spoke with had no shortage of advice for how to stay motivated
Featured Event October 18th, 9 a.m. Austin Board of REALTORS
2017 REALTY ROUND UP
and how to motivate workers. It boils down to camaraderie, respect and helping others.
Fun and Camaraderie One of the biggest things REALTORS miss out on while working 80-hour weeks is socializing with friends. Nothing can replace missed family time or happy hour with friends, but socializing with coworkers can help you decompress and spark new friendships with people already in your professional circles. Michelle Busby, team leader and CEO at Keller Williams Austin Northwest, says, “We do a quarterly retreat to love on our people.” They spend the a.m. bonding and the p.m. is for fun.
Recently, for one of their small retreats, the team played mini golf for an afternoon of unselfconscious silliness and fun. Michael Nasserfar, branch manager at Envoy Mortgage, thinks that happy hours are okay, but people can organize group drinks anytime. Recently, as a surprise for his team, Nasserfar chartered a limo to pick up employees, including plus-ones, and headed to San Antonio to see a John Mayer concert. Nasserfar organizes retreats and outings every year and in between, group dinners and holiday celebrations.
Front Page: Continued on page 28
Features of the Month Column: ABoR—ABoR is a good source for professional education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 3 Column: WCAoR—Levels of leadership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 7 Column: HBA—Hurricane Harvey: Rebuild with confidence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 15. Column: WCR—Texas strong!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 22 Associates in Progress: Highland Homes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 25 Associates in Progress: Bryson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 27 Upcoming Events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 36